Passionate Life...a foodie's journey

This is my first attempt at a serious blog. I am very much into trying new things in life and telling others of my experiences. I am not just about food, tho that is one of my major passions, I am about everything in life...crafting, gadgets, etc. I will try things and post the outcome here, to help others make educated purchasing choices so that no one has to waste money on a product, not knowing if it is good, or just another piece of junk. Come with me on my journey!

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

I just found out something that is incredible...Wow, I learned that the average woman uses 16,000 tampons over time, and that no federal law requires makers to disclose the ingredients in them. Protecting the right to know is important for all women in our lives. Learn more about this! #comeclean #generationgood

Since I last wrote you, but so much has happened, that I just havent been able to get back to you...I have a lot of posts to enter very soon.

I just got out of the hospital a few weeks ago, after having major spinal reconstruction...again. I hope this one takes better than the last two spinal reconstructions. This was what they call a two tier surgery...one surgery went in thru my side, below my ribcage, to insert a spacer between two vertebrae to replace the damaged disk. Then, they cleaned up and did a second surgery, where my back was opened to replace the faulty rods, screws and spacers that the last surgeon put in. Then they added an extension just north of the last surgery...so vertebrae at the L3 to the S1 vertebrae are "fused". I am not allowed to bend, stoop, twist or lift more than ten lbs. I am healing at an incredible rate according to my new surgeon.

The next very bad thing to take place, was that the management of the apartment complex we were living in decided they wanted to kick us out (probably to raise the rent for the next person coming in) It seems this complex is for short term living while people either had a house built or till they could find something more permanent. we have lived in those apartments for over 6 years...so that was probably what triggered them to kick us out...we had no help to move so we had to do everything ourselves. they wanted us out on november 10th, which was when I was going in for surgery...so with a bit of coercion they agreed to let us stay till december 7th...but with no help, we were still rather stuck...I went with the boys to help pack, right after I got out of the hospital...which wasnt a smart thing to do, but had to be done!!

We had to leave a lot behind, we just didnt have the time, or the energy to move anything more, so much of our furniture got left, and various other things...But we were out before December 1st., and we have not looked back.

They tried to send us a bill for painting the apartment, getting rid of the furniture, deep cleaning, cleaning the rug, etc... It was them who kicked us out, they never fixed anything that we reported, the place was cockroach infested and mouse infested...they never sent in an exterminator so much of out belongings that we left were totally chewed up or messed on and not worth cleaning...so we left them. Not to mention, they never even cleaned the kitchen. The stove hood was greasy and sticky, the stove was not clean, instead of cleaning the counters, they painted over the dirt...yup, you read it right...they painted the counters. I know this because the longer we used the counters, the more the paint bubbled up and peeled, it was gross thinking paint may have gotten into our food, etc.

So, we are now settled into a 3 bedroom house, it is not as far out as the place we first lived when we moved here from California, but we are still a ways out on the outskirts of the city...very quiet, nice neighbours, no sirens, etc. We can even sit out and watch the stars at night because there are no city lights to blot out the stars, and we can watch our "pets" come into our yard and play with each other...we have wild cotton tails that come into our yard to eat the burr bearing weeds and nibble the leaves off our bush. We also have ground squirrels, owls, hawks, ravens and finches of all kinds that come into our yard to eat and play. Lots of fun to watch.

Ok,well I am done boring you, just wanted to catch you up to date with all the goings on from my end.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Hello again, Readers!

Well, I was hoping to write you under better circumstances but, life happens. I just found out that I will be having my third spinal reconstruction on November 3rd. It will be what they call a two tier surgery. Part one will be putting spacers in between the vertebrae to replaced the degenerating discs. The second part will be to replace the rods and screws that are already holding my spine together, and also moving up one vertebrae as the disintegrating disc disease moves north up my spine.

Even tho they tell me I will be incapacitated and virtually immobile for some time...but I have surprised my surgeons thus far by how fast I heal...so we will see.

Now, back to my reviews...I do have several reviews to post for some wonderful products I have received from some awesome companies!

Friday, September 29, 2017

Hello one and all!

Have you ever just craved something? Ever think of food and found your mouth watering at the thought? The reason I ask, is that there is a fantastic little shop that serves the absolutely most mouth watering hot dogs/sausages you could ever have! My family and I usually hit this little shop every time we are out running errands...and the name of this shop is....Urban Hot Dog Company!! They have been around for a little while now, and we have been stopping in there. regularly, since they first opened. We have never been disappointed! My family and I have this great little "game" that we play every time we stop in at Urban Hot Dog Company. Each of us gets a different themed dog and when they arrive at our table, we each try each others hot dogs/sausages. That way, if it is as awesome as the last, we will know, and give it a shot our next time in.

Urban Hot Dog is located at: The Shops at Cottonwood, 10250 Cottonwood Park Dr. NW Albuquerque. If you want to check them out, before stopping in, their website is at: http://www.urbanhotdogcompany.com. There are so many choices of dogs and sausages, it is really hard to narrow it down to one! (that just means you get to come in more often, just to try the others!)

Are hot dogs/sausages not really what you are hungry for, stop in anyway...Urban Hot Dog Company has something for everyone's palate. There is beer battered cod, wild and crazy different fries with awesome toppings like rosemary and garlic, chili con queso, bleu cheese chives and truffle oil, etc. They even have sweet potato fries, onion strings, slaw, mac and cheese, grilled tofu, and so much more!!

You really have to go in, yourself and check them out! And if you like their goodies, and you feel like being a walking billboard, you can buy one of their cool shirts or hats ( I got one!! I always feel like being a walking billboard for them!!)

You have never gone in to a more welcoming establishment...the staff is always friendly and welcoming, always going out of their way to be the best they can be. Tables are cleared and cleaned in a timely manner, the food is delivered hot (and tasty) to your table with a smile (sure beats picking it up yourself!)

So why don't you treat yourself to one of the best dogs in town....drop in to Urban Hot Dog Company!! You won't be disappointed!

Saturday, July 29, 2017

I know you all have been wondering where I have been...The past year and a half have been crazy. My husband has been battling with kidney cancer and a heart valve that was failing...so just when we think we have him back on the road to recovery and some semblance of normalcy, then we find out that the surgeon that operated on his cancer, caused a herniated bowel (that now needs to be operated on), which will be taken care of on Monday, July 31st.

I haven't even put out my usual yearly Christmas cards/letters...which is definitely not like me at all (for those of you who know me well). We have not moved, as of yet, but we will be doing so in the next few months. It is real slow going right now...trying to keep Phillip on the sofa, whilst Jr and I do the packing and most of the shuffling off to storage with the boxes as we pack them. Phillip is allowed to drive us, but not much else.

Things aren't going so well for me either. As you know, I had my right knee replaced not that long ago, that healed nicely but now, it is having all new problems...and the new surgeon thinks the replacement may need to be replaced, along with my left knee. As if that wasn't bad enough, my spine may need another surgery to fuse the next vertebrae above the last fusion, since it appears the disintegrating bone disease is moving north, which is something we feared would happen eventually, I had really hoped it would have waited a few more years down the road...but, we gotta do what we gotta do. I ain't ready to be an invalid yet, tho the pain does put me down more often than I would like to admit!

I also had both eyes operated on to remove double cataracts in each eye. Simple surgeries, no pain till one of the eyes ended up inflamed and that had to be the most agonizing pain I have ever been thru.

Jr has been doing well. He is fully homeschooled now. His middle school was making things rough on him and us in general. The online school he was attending was just as bad, so we gave up and took him out of school completely and teach him the proper curriculum and extra curricular activities. He is learning to drive and spends his time racing go karts and doing computer animation, when he isnt helping us or doing his studies that is.

Well, I don't want to bore you to tears in my first catch up post, there will be lots of new things coming down the pike...I am looking into advertising some good companies here on my blog, and posting about them as well. Only the best for my readers! My blog will be getting a new look very soon as these new things start happening. Bear with me folks, I haven't forgotten you!

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Would you all rather see more recipes or more reviews? Or would you rather me keep it all about even? Please let me hear from you. I don't want to give you what you do not want to read. As it is we get so much junk in our email boxes, I want to stand out so you have something to look forward to reading each day.

I hope to hear from you all. I do have lots of recipes and reviews waiting to come your way. I am going to post a few here and there until I hear from you all...and then I will post as many as you would like. Both holiday and regular recipes and all kinds of reviews.

If you are looking for a particular recipe, please let me know and I will happily find it for you. If I don't have it, I will find it for you. Tried and true recipes, Grandma's recipes, international recipes, desserts, main courses, appetizers, drinks...whatever you would like to see, I will gladly post them.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Good evening, dear readers!

It has been awhile since I blog posted to you. Life has been crazy the past couple of months. Hubby went in for open heart surgery to replace a valve in his heart that was no longer working properly, and if that was not bad enough, we also found out he has cancer on his kidney and adrenal gland. So after his open heart surgery heals up enough they are going to put him in to have the cancer surgery.

As for me, my son and I had a bad stomach virus that had us down for the count flat on our backs in bed for over a week, whilst hubby was in the hospital. We are good now, thankfully. But now I am suffering from some other kind of infection that is attacking both legs, causing them to swell, inflame and turn red. I am on antibiotics, so i have to let it run it's course.

I have several new reviews for you, mainly positive but I do have some glaringly negative ones as well...namely Dennys in Albuquerque. I also have a lot of product reviews as well.

If you recall, I was doing a lengthy product review for a particular company, apparently, that fell thru, I dont know if it was just a failure to communicate or if it was just a scam or what, but nothing further to report on this group.

I was also being considered to be another company's personal blogger, but that fell thru since they never bothered contacting me back and I got tired of emailing them. Another one bites the dust.

Happy new year to one and all, happy belated Christmas, Channukah, Winter Solstice, and Kwanzaa too!!

About Me

I am a 47 year old, married, mother of two, grandmother to one. I am handicapped, but I don't let that slow me down. I am a very active individual. I volunteer at our son's school, in the classrooms, in the office, or wherever I happen to be needed. I also am a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Amvets, etc. I am very much into crafting, cooking, baking, movies, music, art, gardening, shopping, writing, and many many more things.